Worst Leader

[Antilogic]

Donck isn't all that necessary once you start producing your own tools and guns and if you take the opportunity to sell to the natives. You can mitigate the effect of tax increases by selling to the natives (avoiding the king) as well as only purchasing a handful of tools and guns to start, and then building up your horse supply later.

I don't think I've ever built a ranch--just not worth the money.

 

[Crime Doesn't Pay]

My vote goes to Arian Van der Donck.
However I think they are all pretty close.

Agreed. Vander Donck has the worst trait in the game. It doesn't reduce the taxes. It merely increases the time. So instead of getting two 5% tax increases you get one big 10% tax increase on your favorite trade good. Better to go for Stuyvesant.

Dale's AoD fixes the issue with Washington and dragoons.